CONCORD, N.C. -- Longtime race promoter Humpy Wheeler says NASCAR officials need to make "bold moves" to improve racing and keep fans interested.

Attendance has been soft at some tracks and TV ratings have not been as strong for many Nextel Cup races this season. Some fans also have been vocal about their displeasure about the racing this season.

"Every problem we have could be cured by better racing," said Wheeler, president and general manager of Lowe's Motor Speedway.

So, what kind of bold moves would he make?

n Slow the cars 5 mph.

n Award more points for wins.

n Award more points for leading laps.

n Put half the money that goes into the championship fund into the race purses to make the races more meaningful.

n Add a halftime break.

Many of the changes, which he's advocated for years, would encourage harder racing throughout an event, he said.

"People don't buy a ticket just to see the last 10 laps of the race, they buy a ticket to see the whole race," he said. "It's not the race for ninth."

Slowing the cars could bunch the field, creating tighter racing, he suggests.

Wheeler says other changes will make the races more exciting. Drivers earned more than $25 million from Nextel and NASCAR in points fund money last year with Jimmie Johnson collecting $6.7 million for the title.

More money and points for wins, Wheeler says, will make drivers take more chances. Give them more points for leading and that increases the reward for taking risks.

"What happens up in front determines great racing," Wheeler said of the lead group.

Wheeler admits such changes are big.

"Changing the point thing is going to be a bold move," he said.

"Taking half the point money and putting it into the (race) purse is a bold move, but bold moves are what made the sport."

A halftime certainly would be bold. Wheeler said he's done it before.

"What's wrong with stopping a race at halfway?" he said. "Pay a big bonus to the guy leading at halfway. Every other sport has a halftime."

Biffle staying put

NASCAR teams shopping for a driver in 2009 can look elsewhere. Greg Biffle is staying put.

Biffle, in his fifth full season with what is now Roush Fenway Racing, has a contract through the 2008 season, but plans to stick around beyond that. Earlier this year, he had said that any extension on that deal would have to be done by the end of this season.

"I felt like it was important to get it done and not become an issue next year," Biffle said. "Let's say we get three weeks into the season next year and I'm not really under contract -- I'm a free agent. Well, when so-and-so announces they're gonna have a fourth team, or somebody gets fired because they did a bonehead move, or whatever happens, I'm the first guy who is gonna be going to the 49 or going to the 28 car, who knows, whatever it is."

One reason Biffle, the Cup runner-up in 2005 and currently 16th in the standings, has changed his mind is that 3M has signed on as sponsor of his No. 16 Ford, and that contract goes beyond 2008.

"I think they wanted to wait to announce this deal, but we've had it for a while now, kind of in the back pocket," Biffle said.

"It's sort of backwards because a lot of times you've got to have a driver to be able to sell the sponsor, so I'm sure 3M is like, 'Hey, if Greg is around, we are. It's not a problem.' That's really what it boils down to, and when everything gets calmed down then we'll get to negotiate back on that again."

And, speaking of long-term commitments, Biffle will marry longtime girlfriend Nicole Lunders on Wednesday at the Palmetto Bluff resort in Bluffton, S.C.

"I'm looking forward to it. It's been a long three or four months planning it, although I have to admit I haven't planned much of it," Biffle said. "But it's been a topic, having to make decisions and doing this and that."

He was in charge of reserving the rooms at the resort, and the tuxedos.

"Last night, I got home at 8 o'clock, and we picked up the tuxedos yesterday," Biffle said. "It doesn't fit. So I had to go back down to the place. They opened at 10:30, I've got to be on the track at 1."

He said the couple will honeymoon in Martinsville, where they will eat some "Martinsville hot dogs. Maybe make a margarita on the bus."

"Maybe I'll run a little bit better on Sunday," he added, smiling.

A new owner?

Former San Francisco 49ers owner Eddie DeBartolo told Sports Business Journal recently that he almost became a NASCAR owner in 2004.

"We would have bought a NASCAR team if Reggie White hadn't died," DeBartolo said of the former NFL player. "The week he passed away we were going to sign the agreement with Hendrick Motorsports. After that, I just couldn't do it. I loved Reggie too much."

Helmet auction

A helmet signed by all 24 living Daytona 500 champions will be auctioned on eBay.com (enter keywords Daytona 500, champions, helmet). The auction goes from Wednesday to Oct. 25. All proceeds go to the United Way of Greater Cincinnati.

Tickets remain

The Cup series heads to Martinsville Speedway next weekend for the final short track race of the season. Tickets remain for that race and can be purchased at www.racetickets.com.

The Associated Press contributed to this report